Traveling block limit control



Nqv. 21, 1950 c. w. HALDERMAN 2,530,766

TRAVELING BLOCK LIMIT CONTROL Filed Feb. 14, 1948 v! I j I /0- iz/q F23 2612/ 2 263 25 1 l2 Curr/wt hf 1292022 114 I N V EN TOR.

40 3/ firmlP/vzr Bymawz o'sition r Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAVELING BLOCK LIMIT CONTROL Clarence W. Halderman, Ojai, Calif.

ApplicationFebruary 14, 1948, Serial No. 8 487 14 Claims. 1 This invention relates generally to improved control or signaling mechanism for use with hoistingapparatu's of an oil Well.

f1 "Serious accidents often occur during the 'drilling ofan oil' well because of the improper operation or handling of various equipment; One

type of accident of frequent occurrence results during the hoisting'of a tool or other object when .the draw works operator fails to halt the-upward movement of the" traveling block at the proper time. The untende'd traveling block continues its upward movement, to impact against the crown block withpa powered jolt, which may part the. cable or cause other mechanical failure and permit the equipment being lifted to fall,

thus endangering workmen in thevicinity.

This inventin" is..designed to prevent accidents caused by such" overtraveling of the hoisting mechanism by providing a safety device to either automatically'stop rotation of .the winding drum, or to signal theoperator whenthe traveling block has rea'chled its highest operative position. To effect such automatic operation, the device includesno'vefmechanism by which itis rendered responsive to the winding of a predetermined critical. turn on the hoistingfdru'mh In which it will react. Such adjusting means may comprise two independent adjustments, one governing the layer of winding to whichithe new; will react, and the other determining the particular effective turn inthat, layer, I p y A secondobject of the presentjinvention is to provide means which ,will automatically stop'the 'hoistingpro cess or signal the operator in case the cable does. not spool. properly on. the winding drum. This' is preferably 'effe'cted by the same "mechanism -as isiised in controlling the upward travel of the block. I

. It is a further object of the invention to provide"aicontrol device of the. above'type in which the controlmechani m is positioned bene' ath the drum'to occupyl othe'rlwise. unused space and r attainjthe [other obvious advantage's ,pf lsiich a protectedfilocation. In the preferredform the present invention 'comprisesa winding drnmja barextehding 'sub- .fstantially' parallel to; the axisof the drum atlga position. located outwardly from the. drum, and control means responsive to outward deflection iof the bar to a predetermined operative position.

The bar is outwardly ldeilectible tothe defined termined critical turn, so that the control means will be automatically actuated as the hoisting process reaches the point at which that turn is wound onto the drum. To cause the bar to react in the above manner, it may be provided with an inwardly facing projection or lug which the cable will contact after being wound on the drum to the critical point, such engagement acting to move the bar outwardly to the operative position. This lug or projection may comprise a plurality of removable sections or blocks, and the position of each section may be variable longitudinally of the bar, to permit setting of the bar for reaction to a desired turn. By proper design of the blocks, the bar may be rendered deflectible also in response to fouling of the cable.

The above and further features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through the drum and associated safety mechanism, taken on line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and a .Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the control mechanism, as seen in Fig. 1.

. The reeling mechanism comprises a drum, generally indicated at It, a cable H windable upon the drum, a bar l2 outwardly deflectible in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn of cable on the drum, and the control mechanism 41,,i11ustrated by Fig. 4, which opens or closes an electrical circuit in response to such outward movement of the bar. The drum comprises a shaft l6 bearing a central winding cylinder [3 between two radial flanges I4 and I5 whichmay present braking surfaces 48 and 49. Suitable. supports I] and 18 contain bearings l9, and 2,0 within which shaft I6 is rotatably received. Hoisting power may be applied to the drum through an extension of shaft l6.

Bar I2 is of such length as to extend between the flange ends of the drum with limited clearanee. The bar contains spaced longitudinal slots 2|; through which studs 22 of removable projections or blocks 23, 24 and 25 are receivable. Nuts 26 are applied tothe outer ends of the studs to retain the blocks in their respective adjusted positions. v Bar I2 is carriedfby two spaced upwardly extendi arms 2'1- bearingsleeves 28 .which are rotatably retained on shaft 29 to permit pivotal movement of the arm and bar assembly as a unit. Shaft 29 is carried for rotation by support bearings 30 which are borne by control base 3i. Two spaced sleeved sectors 32 are carried by shaft 29 adjacent to arms 21, and are suitably retained against rotation relative to the shaft, as by keys 33, see Fig. 2. A bolt 35, retained by a nut 45, extends through each of the arms 27 and an arcuate slot 34 in the adjacent sector 32 to rigidly hold the arm and sector against relative angular movement. When the sectors and arms are thus tightened together, any deflection of bar l2 results in rotation of shaft 29. The arcuate slots permit easy adjustment of the angular relationship between the arms and their adjacent sectors.

Sleeved arm 3?, bearing cam 36, is keyed or otherwise secured to shaft 29, to transmit roof the follower actuates switch 42 through shaft 4| to either open or close the electrical circuit containing leads 43 and M. The control mechanism is normally urged away from such switch actuating position and toward the position of Figs. 1 and 4 by spring 46.

In operation, drum l winds cable I! uninterruptedly until the condition of Fig. 2 is reached. When the winding is continued beyond that point, the next turn engages the beveled end of projection 25 to commence moving bar 52 out-- wardly. Such outward deflection rotates shaft 29 by virtue of arms 21 and sectors 32. As the shaft rotates, cam 36 is moved upwardly to pivot follower 39 to the left, and actuate switch d2, which opens or closes a control circuit to stop rotation of the drum or signal the operator, as desired. In addition to, this travel limiting operation; the bar is also deflectible .in response to fouling of the cable, and the control mechanism is thus operable by such fouling to prevent any accidents which might otherwise result. The device may be set to react at a desired height of the travelling block by first .winding the cable until the block is at that desired height and then setting the two adjustments so that the switch will be actuated by the turn which is being wound at that time. The angular relationship between shaft 29 and the arm and bar assembly is set by the sector adjustments, and the reaction is isolated to the single desired turn by the use of a proper number of correctly po- 'sitioned blocks.

I claim:

l. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a movable member positioned adjacent the drum, means carriedby said member and deflectible outwardly from said drum to an operative position removed a predetermined distance therefrom in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn onsaid drum, a bolt and slot connection adjustably securing said member and means together to permit varying of the position of said means relative to the drum to thereby determine the turn to which said meanswill be responsive, and control means respqnsive to such outward deflection of said means.

2. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a bar means for drum at a position located outwardly therefrom,

mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the said means permitting outward deflection of said bar means carried by said bar to render it deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the bar.

3. A safety device for ,use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a'bar' means for mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, said means permitting outward deflection of said bar an inwardly facing projection on said bar to engage a predetermined critical turn on said drum and cause outward deflection of the bar to an operative position in which the bar is removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of that turn,

and control means responsive to such outward ,deflection of the bar.

4. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a bar means for mounting said bar. to extend longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, said means permitting outward'deflection of said bar an inwardly facing projection on said bar to engage a predetermined critical turn on said drum and cause outward deflection of the bar to an operative position in which the bar is removed a predetermined, distance. from said drum in response to'the winding of that turn, means for varying the position'of said projection longitudinally ofithe bar topermit determination of the particular turn to which the bar will react, and control means responsive to such .outward deflection of the bar.

. 5. A safety device for. use with anoil well cable winding drum, comprising .a bar means for mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the drum at a positionlocated outwardly therefrom, said means permitting outwardvdeflection ofsaid bar an inwardly facing projection on said bar to engage a predetermined critical turn on said drum and cause outward deflection of the 1- bar to an operative position in which the bar is removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of that turn, said projection comprising a plurality of sections, means for varying the positions of said sections longitudinally of the bar to permit determination of the particular turn to which the bar will react, and controlmeans responsive to such outward deflection of the bar. v

6. A safety device for use with an oilwellcable winding drum, comprising a bar means for mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, said means permitting outward deflection of said bar means carried by said bar torender it deflectible outwardlyto an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, adjustable means for varying the operative position of the bar, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the bar.

7. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a bar means for mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the drum at a position locatedgoutwardly therefrom, said means permitting outward deflection of said bar means carried by said bar torender it deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, a pair of pivotally movable arms supporting said bar and permitting the defined outward deflection, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the bar.

8. A safety device for use with an oil well cable Winding drum, comprising an outwardly deflectible member positioned adjacent the side of the drum, means carried by said member and defiectible outwardly from said drum to an operative position removed a predetermined distance therefrom in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, a cam movable in response to movement of said means, and control means actuated by said cam in response to said outward deflection of said means.

9. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a bar means for mounting said bar to extend longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, said means permitting outward deflection of said bar means carried by said bar to render it deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, a pair of pivotally movable arms supporting said bar and permitting the defined outward deflection, a cam pivotable with said arms, control means actuated by the pivotal movement of said cam responsive to said outward deflection of the bar, and means foradjusting the angular relationship between said arms and the cam to vary the bar position at which the control means will be actuated.

10. A reeling device for use with oil well hoisting mechanism, comprising a winding drum carrying a cable, a deflectible me her, means positioning said member in the pa Of a predetermined critical turn on said drum to render said member deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of said critical turn, said member presenting an angularly disposed wedge surface engageable by said cable during winding of said critical turn to facilitate said deflection, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the member.

11. A reeling device for use with oil well hoisting mechanism, comprising a winding drum carrying a cable, an outwardly deflectible bar extending longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, means rendering the bar deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a, predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the bar.

12. A reeling device for use with oil 'well hoisting mechanism, comprising a winding drum carrying a cable, an outwardly defiectible bar extending longitudinally of the drum at a position located outwardly therefrom, an inwardly facing projection on said bar to engage a predetermined critical turn on said drum and cause outward deflection of the bar to an operative position in which the bar is removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of that turn, and control means responsiv to such outward deflection of the bar.

13. A reeling device for use with oil well hoisting mechanism, comprising a winding drum carrying a, cable, a member extending upwardly from beneath said drum, control means situated beneath said drum and responsive to deflection of said member outwardly from said drum, and means carried by said member to cause such outward deflection of said member in response to the winding of a predetermined critical turn on said drum.

14. A safety device for use with an oil well cable winding drum, comprising a member, means for movably mounting said member in the path of a predetermined critical turn on said drum to render said member deflectible outwardly to an operative position removed a predetermined distance from said drum in response to the winding of said critical turn, said member presenting an angularly disposed wedge surface engageable by said cable during winding of said critical turn to facilitate said deflection, and control means responsive to such outward deflection of the member.

CLARENCE W. HALDERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,292,738 Bonney Aug. 11, 1942 2,391,172 Leland Dec. 18, 1945 

